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Travis

@someforeignfield.bsky.social

670 followers 180 following 1.3K posts

Former USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, former International Rescue Committee. Humanitarian professional, missile and tank weirdo, posts stuff about missiles, the Middle East, and why it matters at https://substack.com/@someforeignfield

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 9d

Now that the dust has settled on Israel's strike on Qatar, I wanted to discuss some of the oddities of the story that has become the mainstream narrative- the alleged firing of missiles from over the Red Sea. I'm not saying that didn't happen, just that it's a bit weird. That and more here:

Israel's Strike on Qatar: What Actually Happened?

On September 9, 2025, Israel struck a residential compound in Doha, Qatar, killing six people.

open.substack.com

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1h

I'd almost prefer a genuine liar.

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1h

To be clear, the problem is AOC and co were either lying or so fundamentally ignorant of the nature of the relationship between the United States and Israel that they have no business being in a position of such influence. Given the "defensive weapons" nonsense, I think it's the latter.

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 5h

It's clear that when the US wants a ceasefire deal, one miraculously occurs. Makes the "working tirelessly for a ceasefire" stuff from last year even more disgusting.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1h

It's extremely normal for the most violent part of a conflict to be the hours leading up to the ceasefire. Some of the worst bombing and missile strikes between Iran and Israel were after the ceasefire was agreed upon.

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1h

And even if Netanyahu "preferred" Trump, that doesn't absolve Biden from never using even a little bit of pressure or even threatening behind the scenes to potentially use pressure. The Biden policy was to help Israel do whatever they wanted, full stop.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 2h

Hilarious that the continued failure to deliver on the Block 4 F-35 update is singlehandedly degrading huge chunks of NATO's theoretical airpower. Is Lockheed Martin a Russian asset???

Alex Luck @alxluck.bsky.social · 2h

Add to this the discussed issue of F-35B lacking stand off capability in British service, notionally well into 2030s, and it puts the touted carrier strike capability somewhat into perspective.

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 2h

Me saying "I'm hungry" every day in Turkish class ended up with me getting married, so I heartily endorse this message.

Reposted by Travis

Kragdar @kragdar.bsky.social · 3h

آمریکایی ها واقعا خنده دارند

Zeitkitty @zeitkitty.bsky.social · 3h

Maybe read up on the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979, and their release in 1981 because of the deal Iran made with the Reagan campaign and come on back here and tell us about it.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4h

Please point out precisely where I said he will enforce this one

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4h

Biden could have pulled the plug on the Israeli military at any point with no way for Congress or lobbyists or Israel to stop him. Simply order the State Dept to follow and enforce existing law and *poof* the IDF cannot meaningfully operate at scale.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 5h

It's clear that when the US wants a ceasefire deal, one miraculously occurs. Makes the "working tirelessly for a ceasefire" stuff from last year even more disgusting.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 5h

Idk the details of this plan, but I know the day before the January ceasefire, something like 6 aid trucks entered Gaza. Day one of that ceasefire, over 900 trucks entered Gaza. If nothing else, any easing of the aid restrictions will save lives, even if I'm not hopeful this is permanent.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 12h

Yeah definitely. These particular ones probably aren't but most photos of militants in the West Bank show them with Israeli pattern AR-15 rifles and Israeli optics.

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 14h

For reference none of the weapons pictured are likely to have been manufactured in Iran. Belgian-pattern FALs, Russian-pattern AKMs (not the Type 56-pattern KL-762s that Iran makes), various Russian single-use launchers, a single G3 (not Iranian pattern either). These are likely sourced from Syria.

Shipwreck @shipwreck75.bsky.social · 14h

Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said on Wednesday that it thwarted an Iranian operation to move a large cache of advanced weaponry into the occupied West Bank for planned attacks on Israeli targets.
iranintl.com/en/202510087769

Israel says it foiled Iranian plot to smuggle weapons into West Bank

iranintl.com

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1d

If I'm ever president I'm banning tactical gear for the military. Bringing back basically 'Nam era gear. Multicam is fascist. EOTechs are fascist. Opscor helmets are fascist. Rails are fascist. MOLLE is fascist. Sorry to spoil your "operator aesthetic"

Brad Duplessis @bradduplessis.bsky.social · 1d

Pete is out here playing Operator. We do not have a SECDEF.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 1d

Bom video!

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 2d

I have it on good authority that this family is not even good dinner party guests/hosts

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 2d

Morphing back into a World War 2 dad reading this shit. Don't start talking about the M4A3E8, don't mention Panther transmissions, don't bring up proximity fuses...

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4d

Reminder that an IDF prison guard is on on camera raping a Palestinian man to death, and when arrested, masked armed soldiers raided the base where he was detained and forced his release. He then went on TV and became a celebrity.

Jordan Uhl @jordanuhl.com · 4d

Absolutely heinous.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4d

Democrat moment

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4d

"yeah just take all those CVNs and DDGs and do endless high speed maneuvers off the coast of Oregon. Break in those hulls a little bit. Oh, and do as many sorties of the carrier aviation as humanly possible. Great training!"

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 4d

At this rate we're gonna deploy all our SM-3s and a couple of carriers to Portland just to really put the final nail in the coffin of our readiness for a Taiwan contingency

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 5d

I'm gonna start a celebrity interview podcast where I make them play GHPC.

"So, Taylor, what sort of feelings went into your new album?"

Taylor Swift, attempting to figure out the FCS of a T-64A Obr. 1981: "Who the fuck invented the coincidence rangefinder??"

☠️deadward niedermurder☠️ @niedermeyer.online · 5d

every single guest I've ever watched has been out of their element from the jump, which is the most important thing an interview show can accomplish

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 5d

I bought some IKEA furniture and when it said "some assembly required" I thought it was an Arabophobic "joke" about Khashoggi. The Saudis are tiiiiiiiiiired.

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 6d

Brazil similarly began fielding the IMBEL IA2 rifle a few years back to replace its ancient FAL rifles.

Brazilian police personnel with IMBEL IA2 rifles

Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 6d

They wouldn't be the first Latin American country to design and build their own infantry rifle - Mexico famously started fielding the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl a decade ago, but how many soldiers are actually equipped with them is an open question.

Mexican armed forces personnel with an FX-05 Xiuhcoatl rifle

Mexican army personnel with FX-05 Xiuhcoatl rifles

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